Tim Banks is the CEO of APM, a Canada wide construction and property development company, with its head office in Charlottetown, PEI. My family has lived on PEI for over eight generations and I was born at the Prince County Hospital in Summerside, PEI. I am hoping someone will soon develop a blood test to authenticate when you actually become an "Islander" as I am still having problems explaining where I'm from?

Friday, October 31, 2008

My buddy Johnny called me today to rub it in that he was right...but he could have had my house... he was pounding his chest the last 10 days touting Gail was a lock for Fisheries Minister... so I laid a large number on him.... but "no shakie"... "no takie"... as good a candidate as Gail is I just didn't believe she'd get anything bigger than a junior post and I was a little suspect of that... I guess I really didn't believe that Harper would come through with supporting a female from Atlantic Canada so I have to give him credit... and I don't think he made a mistake, as it's been my experience, that Gail is a solid, sincere, hard working individual and I'm sure she will be a great appointment for PEI... Johnny Boy I was wrong and you should have taken the bet...I don't want you sulking around thinking about what you could have had, so here's your second chance on the blue team... you take Toronto and I'll stick with the red team and I'll let you pick the number but don't forget to shake.. Ouch! .... Congratulations Gail and best of luck in the new post..P.E.I. gets voice at cabinet tableTERESA WRIGHTThe GuardianEgmont MP Gail Shea is now the federal minister of Fisheries and Oceans.She was sworn into Stephen Harper’s cabinet in an official ceremony in Ottawa Thursday. Shea, a former provincial cabinet minister, is the first woman to ever hold this title in parliamentary history. But it’s not the only first in Shea’s political career to date. She was also the first woman to become Transportation minister on P.E.I. and was the first Conservative MP elected on the Island in almost 25 years. Prior to Thursday’s swearing-in ceremony in Ottawa, it was widely expected Shea would garner a cabinet post if she won the Egmont riding in western P.E.I. She ended up winning the riding over Liberal candidate Keith Milligan twice — by 63 votes on election day and by 55 votes in a judicial recount last week.As a federal rookie, Shea’s post as minister of Fisheries and Oceans is a major coup for the Tignish native. But with her family’s background in fisheries on P.E.I., Shea will likely bring some personal experience to the cabinet table.“I do have seven years as a provincial cabinet minister and it may have been scary when I was first elected back in 2000, but it’s not scary anymore,’’ she said after being sworn into cabinet Thursday. “And I’m sure Islanders are happy today.’’ Premier Robert Ghiz extended warm congratulations to Shea in her new role as Fisheries minister. “It’s a good role for Prince Edward Island, and I think it was Prince Edward Island’s turn with regards to becoming minister of Fisheries,’’ Ghiz said.But there are a number of local issues in fisheries she will likely be asked to look into in the immediate future, Ghiz said.“Whether it (is) seiners, a lobster buyback program, increased quotas or small craft harbours, I know minister Shea will be busy but we’ll be looking forward to working with her on those important issues.” Shea’s new position will indeed be busy — and tough, said Liberal Malpeque MP Wayne Easter. “It’s a major portfolio, but it’s a very difficult file,’’ he said.Easter once worked as parliamentary secretary under a former Fisheries minister and said she will be dealing with a wide variety of tenuous issues. “There is so many competing interests and there’s different issues in central Canada, there’s the northern fisheries, there’s the West Coast fisheries which are structured very differently from the East Coast fisheries,’’ Easter said. “So it is a difficult portfolio, but we’ll help push her along.” Easter said he will be looking for Shea to follow through on her election promises, including a restoration of the Summerside racetrack. But as the minister responsible for P.E.I., Easter hopes Shea will also work for the struggling agriculture industry on the Island. Overall, Shea will likely have an uphill battle ahead of her, but some Islanders were just plain happy to see her recognized in federal cabinet. Opposition Leader Olive Crane was beaming with pride when she heard about Shea’s appointment. “She’s got lots of knowledge and skill and experience,” Crane said. “She deserves to be a cabinet minister just based on her own credentials.” “And being a minister from Prince Edward Island nationally? You couldn’t do any better, I’m just extremely proud of her.” Shea’s strong work ethic and amiable personality will help her get a lot done in her new portfolio, Crane added. “She’s got determination and she will really work hard for Atlantic Canada and nationally for the fisheries.’’